AHA! So that's where they all go.....

   It was late morning. The sun was shining brightly and although it was chilly, we decided to take the opportunity to do a bit of shopping. It was a quick stop at a local fast food restaurant for a late breakfast and then off to the store. There's a new store in the area, opening just before Christmas, that we had yet to visit and today would be the perfect opportunity. The name scared me a bit...Hobby Lobby...because I wasn't sure what they sold, although I could guess based upon the name. But, there would be room to move around for exercise, it would be warm  and there should be plenty of parking,  being the middle of the day and the middle of the week and all. I mean, who goes to a 'hobby store' during the middle of the day in the middle of the week?

   I can remember telling many of my clients as they were approaching retirement...”we work now so that some day we don't have to”. But when the day arrives, I am not sure we are ever really ready. 
   The first couple of weeks are great. Eight to ten hours a day of extra time to do whatever you want! All those projects and activities that never got done while you were working... now completed, and it's only day four into retirement. For sure, there are many advantages to being retired, but I will add there are some things I had not anticipated.

   For the most part, being retired allows you to go where you want, when you want and not have to fight the crowds. Many of the fast food restaurants offer free coffee to seniors along with the purchase of one of their breakfast sandwiches. Some stores offer senior discounts while other may even help load your purchases into the car. "Do you need some help, sir?" (Do I look that old? ) 

   When it snows, I don't have to go out in the middle of the night to clear out the driveway. There is no need to rush out. I am not going anywhere in the morning.

   In the summer, I can mow my lawn on a Thursday instead of Saturday like everyone else and it helps keep the air clearer from all the pollution  coming from the lawn mowers running at the same time.

   I can stay up as late as I want... to watch the Late Show with Jack Paar. (Who?) I didn't really have any interest in watching the show when I was working, so why do it now. But    I'll just DVR it if I change my mind.

   Those are some of the good things.

   I am not sure what I had expected a life of retirement to look like, having watched only my parents and a few of the neighbors navigate the retirement years. I didn't think my parents' experience was the norm. And for some reason, I have noticed the retired neighbors are still out of the house by 9:00am most mornings. I wonder where they all go?

   Growing up, I remember the 'great American dream' was to retire at 62, collect social security and live a life of leisure. But today, that dream has changed just a bit. People are living longer, they are healthier and it is not uncommon to find retirees living well into their 90's. And living off social security these days.....

   From my observation, the new dream is to retire a bit later, maybe 63, take a few years off to unwind, get all those odd jobs done around the house, and then maybe pick up a part time job for a bit of extra spending money or do some volunteer work, putting  some structure back into the day, not every day mind you, but a couple of days each week. The reality is  you can only hang out at Tim Horton's each morning for so long. It's nice to see your friends on a regular basis, drink plenty of coffee and eat a couple of donuts each day, but every day? And after awhile, it can get to be a bit expensive.

   As I turned into the parking lot...AHA! I may have discovered the answer to why and where the neighbors might be going each day. Look at all the cars!

   The new store in the area that opened just before Christmas is huge. Not only is it packed with almost every imaginable craft and hobby items, but furniture, home decorating items and alike. Its one stop shopping for just about anything for the house. And filling the air ...soothing music, almost 'sing along' type. Isn't that a Mitch Miller song?
   Although the parking lot was full and well cleared of snow, there were still plenty of spaces to park. The aisles where easy to navigate with shopping carts and baskets. And most of the the people walking up and down the aisles, aside from a few maybe under the age of 40...the majority looked just like me: retired couples, of similar age and older, in similar retirement dress (LL Bean flannel, I assume), filling their shopping carts and baskets with projects for the next stormy day.. and the days beyond!

   So this is where the neighbors go!!!!

I promise I won't write about the weather...

  Often some of the 'inspiration' for my blog comes from being out in public and just listening. It could be the local store or restaurant, while getting the car serviced or just watching people moving about the aisles in Marden's. ( Marden's is a local discount store and often a great place to shop.) But the weather this week has forced many to stay inside, including me, and so I had to 'dig a bit' for some ideas for this week's blog. Some ideas came from reading the local news on-line, others from listening to the 6 pm news.

   I am not going to write about any of the recent football games, either college or professional. I used to be a football fan but I am beginning to have some second thoughts about the sport in general and the consequences of the injuries that often occur. Is it really worth putting your 'brain on the line' and impacting the future quality of life at the expense of a game?

   My guess? Within the next ten years, most community recreation programs and high schools will drop football because of the legal liabilities and potential health risks kids might suffer. Colleges will struggle to fine new ways to replace the revenue lost from the once 'rich' and lucrative football programs since there will be very few willing to play and colleges may return to their mission of.... educating.

   And the professional teams? The league will be on the verge of bankruptcy after paying the thousands of dollars in lawsuits filed by former players. Many former players will never know they received a settlement because they suffer from Alzheimer, dementia or other severe head trauma. Anyone interested in buying a slightly used football stadium?

   I could write about the increase in the number of telephone calls and advertising I have been getting to change my service provider for my television, telephone and computer. I especially like the ones that guarantee to lock in low rate if I sign up within the next two minutes. First...What ever happened to the laws passed for the “Do Not Call List”? And second, not only do they call my home phone number, they also call my cell phone.

   I remember the days when there was an antenna attached to the roof of the house for television reception (and it was free) and a line coming into the house for the phone. Today I can get television and movies on my cell phone and get wrong numbers on my television. ???  Some things never change!

   This is an area, technology that is, that will far exceed our ability to understand its potential because technology really is moving faster than many of us are able to think about and comprehend. Remember those iPhones that were selling for hundreds dollars when they first came into the cell phone market? I recently saw them advertised as 'free' if you signed up for a multi-year service contract. But then there is always the no service contract program at Wal Mart. How do they do it?

   I could write about how excited I am that 2014 is an election year in Maine, but that would be a lie. What frustrates me about elections are the never ending television commercials and millions of dollars spent to get candidates elected. If not mistaken, I believe a great deal of money comes from what are known as PACs, groups set up to support particular causes and candidates. What about a PAC for the 'common folks.' I might be willing pay to not see the endless stream of advertisements. By the way, I like my tea in a cup.  I don't want it in my politics too!

   Here is an interesting consideration. I will bet the money that comes into Maine from 'out of state' to support the candidates for governor and Congress would be enough to pay for at least three years of health insurance premiums for all those currently uninsured in Maine or...it might be enough money to fund the cost of  public education for all the kids in grade K-8 in Maine for at least one year.

   I could really support some type of “election reform,” perhaps one that sets a cap or limit on the amount a candidate would be able to spend or maybe... for every dollar raised, the candidates donates half of the amount to a charity or cause of his or her choice, perhaps domestic violence, as an example.

   I grew up in the '60 and '70. It was a time that was 'unique' and known for it's music, alternative life styles, clothing, free sex and drugs. Our generation had been part of a world conflict that, even to this day, few  ever really understood why. But the social and political costs of it changed a generation forever.

   I am referring to the Vietnam conflict. It was an age of rebellion from the social norms and expectations and for some, it became a back to the land movement of sorts. (Some even  moved to Maine.)

   I find it very interesting that, according to the news, there seems to be a current trend where many are giving up lavish life-styles, expensive toys, having fewer cell phones or giving up their television cable service that provides 300+ channels for... a more simple way of life. Does it mean that history has a way of repeating itself or are we just  resetting out priorities?

   Although we know that playing football can have serious health consequences, we still do it. Why? We understand the importance a good education or the need to discover new medical cures or scientific discoveries, but we allow other, less important, issues to take a higher priority. Why?

   Perhaps it would be simpler to write about the weather. The weather is something we can always talk about but also know we can not control... at least not yet!

With only a few hours left...

   2013 is winding down quickly. There are just a few days left and I thought it might be a good idea to look back at the year just passed. Isn't that what all good newspaper and news people do, that is, "the year in review.” 2013 may not have been the best year for some ( Bet Anthony Weiner is glad the years is over), but it was also not the worst, although there are some that might disagree. Anything that involves  the number '13' can't be all bad. So let's move on....

   Like most others, the year 2013 began on January 1 for me. It was a Tuesday and if not mistaken, it may have even snowed. I didn't do much that day, if I recall. I got up my usual time, just before 6:30 AM, took Lucky out for an early morning walk and turned on the coffee pot. Being several days after the shortest day of the year (Dec. 20) there were about 2 additional minutes of daylight already in the sky and that extra early morning light woke me up a bit earlier! (Now there is wishful thinking.)

   The next day was January 2, not unusual as in most places around the world the 2^nd of the month often follows the 1^st. Not much happened this day either. It probably snowed again and.....if I don't fast forward this review, my rather uneventful year in review will take forever and you may become quite bored... if not already.

   If you really want to find out the important (??) events that happened during 2013, I suggest you turn to one of the hundreds of news broadcast this week. They cover everything from the most popular movies, to the politics in our nation's capitol and everything in between, including our Governor in Maine.

   My personal 'year in review' is not nearly as interesting, but, I was pretty pleased with the way the flower gardens turned out this year, the trip several weeks ago to Williamsburg with my daughter and her family and some of the antiques I was able to purchase at the auctions this year.

   I did pick up a part time job for a few months and met some very interesting people as I traveled around the state and to several other locations a bit south of here, NYC and Philadelphia to be more specific. In the process I learned a great deal about energy consumption and the amount we waste each year. Even at my age, one is never be too old to continue to learn.

   Most of the year was pretty routine and that is just fine for me. I hope it continues into the new year and I remain healthy and wise. Should a good opportunity of some type present itself, who knows what I might do. Never know what is lurking out there behind those trees!

  With the new year well within reach now, (just hours away now) I had considered making a list of some New Year's resolutions for 2014, but if this year were to be anything like the past, I don't think I'll waste the time. Too often there is a brief commitment to a list of resolutions  and then they are forgotten within days, maybe even hours. Losing weight and exercising, reading more, keeping the weeds out of the garden... those, hopefully, will all happen without needing  New Year's resolutions. Staying in touch with friends and family, taking in a Red Sox game every now and then should be automatic too. 
   Oh... I suppose I could put a sticky note on the dashboard of the car reminding me to buckle up before I pull out of the driveway or show a bit more patience in the checkout line at the store, especially when I am in a hurry.

   I probably could try to stay a bit closer to the '500 word limit' I set for myself for  my writing of this blog, but there are times, I have found, when I just have too much to say and need to use all the words I can !!

   But most important going into 2014, I want to wish you all a  healthy and Happy New Year and thank you for taking a few minutes  out of your busy schedules to spend some time with me each week at.... www.500wordsallthetime.com.
   Be safe!!

The next time Santa asks you if you have a been a good little boy or girl.........

   The young boy sat on Santa's lap, maybe at a mall somewhere. It was a television commercial for an automobile company. Santa, dressed in his traditional bright red suit, was asking the boy what he wanted for Christmas. No toys! "A real car," was the response. Santa seemed surprised by the request. (Remember, this was a TV commercial!)"That's a pretty big gift", he said. "Were you a 'good' boy this year?" Looking Santa squarely in the eyes and with all seriousness in his tone of voice, the 'precocious'  lad said to Santa...”define good!” 
   Santa stammered and stuttered to find an answer as  the boy jumped off his lap. Although this was a "staged" television  commercial, it does raise an interesting question.'What is the meaning of the word 'good' and why does it only seem to mean so much more this time of the year. Perhaps because some believe it will get you more presents? That's not good!

   A quick look at Webster's Dictionary reveals the word 'good' has many different meanings, depending upon the context in which the word is used. For example, often it is linked to a person's character as in..”a good and honorable person' or in a much different example... a four wheel drive vehicle is 'good' for driving in snow. But in the case of the boy sitting on his lap, Santa was  probing to see if he had been well behaved the past year.    Historically, bad behavior often meant lumps of coal from Santa on Christmas Eve, or at least that's how the story goes and nobody wants lumps of coal. But looking around, there may be many who should be receiving lots of coal this year. But... I won't mention any names.

   In an unofficial and unscientific survey conducted by me, I asked people what the word 'good' really means. Some of the responses I am not able to print because of the 'content' and 'context'. Gutter minds, you know! But in most cases, the responses were ones I had expected.

   From the younger generation (under the age of 8) ... nice, pleasant, respectful, being polite to your mom and dad, cleaning up your toys, and going to bed on time... were at the top of the list. Doing homework, brushing your teeth each day, keeping a promise and feeding the dog also made the 'being good' list

   For the adults, defining the word was a bit more challenging. Perhaps with the passing of time and the loss of childhood innocence, the word has lost some of its original intent and meaning. (Note..Buried deeply within the definition in Webster's dictionary is the reference that the word 'good' originally was derived from the word God.)

   Several spoke of 'good food' or a 'good movie', good times or a good game. When asked to use a scale of 1 to 10 to rate  'good', the most common response was  '7'. But goodness gracious! Am I beginning to see a pattern here. Does being 'good' only mean being just... OK?

   What was interesting was that the kids were seeing 'good' as a “people" quality or characteristic while the adults saw it was more as a judgment or value of something, not a personal quality. So when does a shift take place in a child's mind and why?

  We try to teach our children to be 'good', to be nice to their friend, to share toys and be polite to others, the more traditional understanding of the word 'good'. But as they grow older they see, in real life and on television, something very different and by the time they are adults, being 'good' has lost its importance because generally we don't judge people with the traditional meaning of 'good' any more. Is a person good and honorable or are they no different than being a 4-wheel vehicle being driven in snow?

   I am not sure, as I look back this year, if asked the age old question about 'being good or bad' this past year, what my answer would be. I hope I could, in good conscious, say 'good'. But others will be the judge of that. Isn't that right Santa?

   And that young boy who looked Santa in the eye in the commercial? My bet is he grows up to be a lawyer!  :)

It's time to get ready...

   It's time to get ready... for the next big snow storm. Winter seems to have arrived a bit early this year as a number of  storms have been traveling across the country like fast moving freight trains. Those of us who live in Maine, that is north of the Kittery Bridge, come to expect the 'expected' and the 'unexpected' when it's winter weather related and this year appears to be no exception.

   Fortunately, most of the storms to date have worked their way across the country to the east coast, turned north and before crossing into Maine, have made a sharp right turn out to sea. I have enjoyed watching the news reports and pictures of snarled traffic in Washington D.C. or the thousands of people stranded in the airport in Atlanta.

   There has been a bit of snow to date, but it appears that other parts of the country have been “harder hit”. I love that description...”hard hit”. I suppose that implies there can be a “soft hit?” But I am sure that before long we will have our share of severe wintery weather. In fact, the weather forecasters on the local television stations are predicting a storm this weekend ...so I guess it's time to get ready.

   I have already started up the snow blower once this Fall and it seems to run fine. It has been around for a few years, but as they say...”nothing runs like a Deer.” I know that at some time I will need to get a newer model, but this one works fine for now, so...”if it ain't broke, don't fix it!”

   The snow shovels are now by the front and back door, ready to cut a small, but narrow path for the dog to take his early morning or evening walk to the nearest tree. While it appears he doesn't mind the snow, a bit of a path helps him get moving the the right direction.

   In the garage are two bags of snow and ice remover. Over the years, I have used everything from rock salt to sand, depending upon what was available at the time in the store, but now, with the dog, something 'pet friendly' is probably in order.

   It is amazing just how expensive it is to melt snow and ice. I know that you can use kitty litter on ice to keep from slipping, but then, what do you do with it after the ice is gone? Pray there are no cats in the neighborhood I guess.

   Often the electric power will go out during a major storm. No power, no lights, no heat. In the past I have used a wood stove to supply supplemental and backup heat, but have converted to two pellet stoves and they do need some type of electricity to keep operating. Perhaps one of these years I will invest in, along with a new snow blower, a generator. That way, I will be able to keep the pellet stoves operating and... check my Facebook page every once and a while to see all the funny pictures people are posting.

   There are fresh batteries in the flashlights, oil for the oil lamps, lots of blankets and some snacks, just in case I get a bit hungry.

   Each vehicle has a blanket, a flashlight, several pairs of gloves, an extra hat and a snow brush/ ice scraper combo. In the past, I have found these to be quite useful, not only for snow and ice removal, but to wave at the passing cars on the highway, hoping someone will see me and stop to help push me out of the snow bank.

   I also try to keep at least a half a tank of gas in each car and some dry gas on hand, although with all this new modern engine technology, I have heard it may not a good idea to add it to your gas tank. Fouls up what they used to call the carburetor.

   And yes, this year I have new “all weather tires,” able to run on hot steamy roads in summer or cold snowy roads in winter. Sounds like I am ready for anything!

   Well almost. I have one more stop to make and I need to be sure there are some extra ice cubes in the freezer too. It could be a long storm!
   
   PS. It's 6: AM at this posting on Sunday and the snow is already about 4". And it is sooooo quiet!

The Christmas tree is up and decorated...finally!

   With Christmas music playing in the background on the IPOD and the chorus of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” coming from the wireless speakers, the final ornament is placed on the tree. The last ornament is the pickle, hung in a place that requires a bit of searching, hidden among the other brightly colored ornaments.

   When the kids were young, they would race down the stairs on Christmas morning and the first to find it would be the first to open a present, It provided a bit a 'law and order' to the early morning Christmas frenzy.

   These days, the search for the pickle usually happens, not on Christmas morning, but at the end of the season when it is time for the tree to be put away for another year, because I sometimes forget where I hung  it. But that may be good thing. Being the last in the box means it usually ends up on top of the other ornaments, ready for next year.

   Before I go on any further, I need to confess  the tree in our home is no longer a freshly cut fir or spruce, but one of the 'artificial' type, and while I actually considered going 'natural' this year, I decided to stick with the artificial one. At least I won't be spilling water on the floor as I try to fill the tree stand with water and... it is an attractive tree, despite being made of some mysterious man-made materials.

   It takes several days to prepare the house for Christmas. Over the years the collection of decorations has grown and there are now at least five to six large plastic containers filled with ornaments and decorations of every type, stored safely in the garage. (Plastic containers tend to keep the squirrels out!) Not all are hung on the Christmas tree, of course, but it takes a day or two to get organized and ...what's the rush? I have plenty of time. It's how many days until Christmas?

   Why the large number of decorations? There was a time it was not uncommon to have four or five fully decorated trees, freshly cut, each in a different room, and each tree with a different theme. These days the number is down to just two, in part because the house is smaller, not as many rooms.

   But having four or five trees required lots of ornaments and over the years more and more ornaments were added and unless one broke or the dog got hold of it, it was just too difficult to throw any of them away. There were, and still are, many ornaments with family memories of Christmas's past and now, each year, these are the ones that get placed on the tree.

   There are a few ornaments of Christmas before kids, when money was pretty scarce. There are still many with the kids' names and dates written on the back and some with pictures from grade school projects when Christmas could still be spoken about in school.

   The homemade ornaments are the most memorable but many, after 30+ years, are to worn, tattered or frayed to be hung on the tree. But I am just not able to throw them away. So... they remain in the plastic container, year after year, carefully wrapped in paper in hopes that someday some grandchild or great grandchild may find them and wonder...wonder what Christmas was like back in the 'old days'.

   There are ornaments purchase from different gift shops while on vacations and we can not forget the ones bought at the local antique auctions. Some of those are really old and I am sure carry their own set of family memories too.

   It now takes me about two days to finish decorating the trees, in part because I don't move quite as fast as I used to and I need to give my hands a chance to heal after being scratched and stuck by the the plastic pine needles. But with the hanging of the pickle and a flip of the switch, the Christmas season is officially underway at our house and if I may say so myself, I did another magnificent job this year, even if it is an artificial tree. Maybe next year I''ll opt for a real one. I do miss the smell of freshly cut pine.
   So, to my readers, family and friends, from our home to yours, Donna, Lucky, and I wish  you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Note: Just a quick add-on. I know there is a great debate this year as to whether it is a 'Holiday Tree' or a 'Christmas Tree'. For me, the tree at Rockefeller Center will always be a Christmas Tree as well as the trees in my home. If someone wants to have a holiday tree, that is their choice. After all, it is a free country and it is what makes our country unique. But sometimes traditions need to remain just that, traditions. Come on folks!

A Thanksgiving Story for 2013.....

   Stories can come from many different places with many unique twists and turns. This year, at our family Thanksgiving gathering, each one there, both young and old, helped to create this family Thanksgiving story and maybe a new tradition. We hope you enjoy it.

                                        A Thanksgiving Story ( 2013)

   The turkeys had been very restless the week before Thanksgiving. They had been watching the news and were well aware of the upcoming storm. Tom, the senior and largest bird of the group had done everything he possibly could to calm the others but with the constant warnings and broadcasts on the television, the others worried that this was not going to be a Happy Thanksgiving for most of them this year. Unsure of their future and what fate might hold, they constantly fought and argued among themselves and in some cases even refused to gobble down their food.

   As Thanksgiving Day got closer, the kids on the farm ran around yelling and shouting...“munch, munch, munch, we're going to have turkey for lunch, lunch, lunch.” Their feverish excitement furthered the concern of the gaggle. Tom knew he needed to do something about this and do it soon (Pete)

   So they decided to go into their emergency underground cave. They thought they would be able miss Thanksgiving by being in the cave, and to keep busy they decorated it for Christmas. They hung greenery and ornaments, working very hard until their feathers fell off. (Ashley)

   They thought they would be safe in the cave, until all of a sudden they heard the farm owner moving about in the leaves. If one of them left, surely he would become food on the farmer's plate. That would be terrible! (Erin)

   So one brave turkey went to the farmer and said, “Please don't make us your Thanksgiving dinner because we want to stay alive.” The farmer thought about it for a minute and finally said... “OK.” (Ava)

   “But”....the farmer added, “You must help me find something else to put on my plate for the Thanksgiving dinner. I had planned on delicious turkey but now I will need to find something else to feed to my family. Great Aunt Clara is especially finicky about what is on her plate.” (Amity)

   At that moment Great Aunt Clara arrived. “Moo,” said her little calves as they followed her inside.”We are hungry. What's for dinner. (Grandma)

The farmer didn't know what to say. He quickly looked around the room. What could he serve for Thanksgiving dinner?

   Just then a familiar sound roared into the driveway. Julian, the local pizza delivery boy was driving his beat-up Chevy truck toward the front door. (Anna)

   As it turned out, Great Aunt Clara had the foresight to realize that it was no fair to eat Tom for dinner since he had been such a good turkey. She had used her cell phone and had placed an order for two pepperoni and one cheese pizza, saving Tom, the turkey. from the kitchen oven. (Chris)

   Yes... Tom would live to see another day. And the pizzas that had been delivered by Julian in his beat-up Chevy truck, they were all made in the shape of a turkey with a note written on the box top. Happy Thanksgiving from your pal Tom.

   Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.!!!!